Jiang Qiao had just finished washing up when someone outside called her, "Qiao'er, Qiao'er—"
The woman standing outside the courtyard wall had a large face, big eyes, and a medium build; she was neither fat nor thin.
Seeing the little girl staring blankly at her, Song Lianfeng found it somewhat amusing. "You silly girl, are you delirious with fever? Don't you recognize your great-aunt? Are you alright? How is your grandmother?"
Jiang Qiao scratched her head sheepishly, her voice a little hoarse, "How could I forget anyone but you, Third Aunt?"
I'm alright, but my grandma is still the same as always. Ugh, I'm so worried about her.
To be honest, Jiang Qiao didn't recognize Song Lianfeng at first. It took her a while to remember who this woman was.
In my memory, this third aunt was a nice person. She was efficient and kind-hearted, and she would help out whenever anyone needed her help. I was fortunate to have her family's help during this period. Otherwise, a young girl like me would probably have been in a real bind.
Song Lianfeng knew exactly what was going on with Wang Dahua. She only had one son left, and now he was gone. As a mother, she could understand the pain of a parent outliving their child. It was a heartbreaking experience.
With a sigh, she said, "Your grandma is getting old, and her health isn't what it used to be. We'll take care of her slowly if she gets sick."
"Joey, are you ready? We should hurry, or we'll be too late to collect any coal nuggets."
Jiang Qiao nodded quickly. She had the memories of a little girl and knew what picking up coal nuggets meant. The people living around here would go and collect the unburned coal when the power plant dumped its waste to use for heating and cooking in order to save money on buying coal briquettes.
She went back inside and told the old lady, then quickly carried her basket and went out with Song Lianfeng. This time she got a glimpse of the whole courtyard. Some people had just gotten up and were squatting by the pool washing up, while others were cooking. It was noisy and bustling, but Jiang Qiao still preferred her current secluded home, where she didn't have to squeeze in with everyone else, which would cause less trouble.
Everyone knew Jiang Qiao, and whether they were being sincere or not, they casually asked about her and the old lady's situation.
However, as soon as they reached the door of a small house, the woman who had just pushed the door open froze when she saw Jiang Qiao.
How could Jiang Qiao not have seen the woman's expression and actions? The woman's clothes were disheveled, and the cotton-padded jacket was almost unrecognizable. The cuffs and chest were pitch black with a sheen. At a glance, it was clear that this woman was not a clean person, but her face was fair and tender.
Before the woman could even speak, Song Lianfeng interrupted, "Li Meilan, what's wrong with your eyes? You've seen a neighbor, why do you look like you've seen a ghost? I don't owe your family any money, do I?"
The woman laughed awkwardly, "Sister-in-law, what are you saying? I just woke up and I'm still a bit groggy. Wasn't Jiang Qiao sick? How come she's better so quickly?"
Jiang Qiao searched her memory and knew who this woman was, especially since the other woman's behavior just now clearly showed that she was guilty. As for why, only she herself probably knew.
"Auntie, what are you saying? Why don't you wish me well? Oh, by the way, you borrowed grain from our family last month, shouldn't you pay it back this month?"
Our food supplies are running low. I'll come get more tomorrow. Today seems to be Uncle Tiezhu's payday, but I have other things to do. You go ahead with your work.
Li Meilan responded with a few "heys," but Jiang Qiao and Song Lianfeng completely ignored her.
However, one could hear Li Meilan's complaints from afar, which were nothing more than that her family didn't have enough food.
Jiang Qiao merely scoffed at Li Meilan's words. Who has enough to eat? Aren't they just taking advantage of the fact that they're an old woman and a young child, trying to get something for nothing?
She couldn't control what happened before, but now that it's her turn, everyone owes her something.
Song Lianfeng glanced at Jiang Qiao, who was walking with his head down, and sighed, "Li Meilan is lazy and greedy. It's going to be difficult to get anything out of her. I advised your grandmother before, but she wouldn't listen. Is your family out of food? Why don't you come to my house and get some back? We need to get through this month. There are only a few days left."
Jiang Qiao shook her head and said expressionlessly, "You have to pay back what you borrow. That's our family's grain. Besides, we don't even know where the money for buying grain next month will come from. We can't keep relying on you. Your family isn't having an easy time either."
Song Lianfeng never expected that Jiang Qiao, a girl who was usually quiet and timid, would say such things today.
Everyone knows about Wang Dahua's family situation after all these years.
He put his arm around her shoulder and said earnestly, "Girl, your grandma is getting old, and the family will have to rely on you. You have to learn to be strong in the future, otherwise those blind fools will always pick on the weak. You did a good job today, keep it up."
Song Lianfeng knew exactly what Jiang Qiao was like before. She was obedient and well-behaved, but she was too quiet and honest. She didn't dare to fight back when she was bullied, let alone go home and complain.
It's likely that the little girl's personality is largely due to the old lady's upbringing. Before, with her son by her side, the old lady could be more assertive. But after her son's sacrifice, those blind fools started causing trouble for the old lady and the little girl.
You know, there's not much we can do to help, and we can't just stay home and watch over them all the time. If we're talking about a long-term solution, then we can only let the child stand on his own two feet, and we, as neighbors, can offer some encouragement from the sidelines.
Jiang Qiao understood what Song Lianfeng meant. They were neighbors, and there were things she could help with, but things she couldn't interfere with. She nodded and said, "I understand. I won't do it again."
Song Lianfeng patted Jiang Qiao's shoulder with a smile, "Girl, that's the right way to think. Who's afraid of who? Your family is a martyr's family. As long as we're in the right, we're not afraid of anywhere."
When they arrived at the cinder area, wow, the cinder piles, almost like small mountains, were teeming with people, most of whom shared the same idea as them: to save money for their families.
Moreover, these things would be transported away by trucks after a certain time, so she and Song Lianfeng didn't have much time to talk. They rushed over and acted swiftly.
Although Jiang Qiao had never done this kind of work before, she had the advantage of having a memory in her brain, and her hands followed her brain. She knew how to pick up the food faster than her brain.
Although she had coal in her space, she couldn't take it out or explain where it came from. In order to avoid getting cold, she could only keep her head down and quickly pick it up.
The little hands quickly shoveled through the waste with a small rake, picking out any black bits and putting them into the basket.
Just as she was engrossed in her work, two figures stealthily crept up to her side. Jiang Qiao had already noticed someone approaching her, but this place wasn't hers to own, so as long as they didn't bother her, she let them get close.
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